Sugarland blames fans for deaths, injuries in stage collapse

[Tiki Torches]

To read the article, click here.

[SeattleParrotHead]

Sugarland Responds To State Fair Collapse Lawsuit

Sugarland is responding to claims of negligence in a lawsuit filed on behalf of 51 people connected to the Indiana State Fair collapse.

The suit, filed in November, accuses the country duo, concert promoters and those who built the group's stage of allowing the stage to be overloaded beyond reasonable engineering tolerances, failing to properly monitor the weather and failing to evacuate the area in a timely and appropriate manner.

In its response, Sugarland denies it had anything to do with the construction of the venue or any of the public address components mounted on the structure, stressing that the stage was not constructed solely for the band's concert.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/30503510/detail.html

[Tiki Torches]

Quoted from the article above:

"Cindy Hoyt, who's with the Indiana State Fair, in her deposition stated that at least twice Sugarland was asked if they would cancel the concert, and they didn't," he said. "Why? Because they were more concerned about getting to their next show, so instead of protecting their fans, they were more concerned with getting to their next show to collect their paycheck."

[NanaBabe]

The band should be last on the list of people being sued.

The logical order would seem to me (as one who both plays music onstage and works as an event coordinator) to be:

venue
stage and lighting company
the agency responsible for inspection of the stage (if there is is one)
promoter
band's management company
band

[Wildh2oskier]

I hate those folks died but Sugarland sucks.

[Tiki Torches]

I hate those folks died but Sugarland sucks.

You'll get no argument from me there. They're pretty much indicative of a lot of modern country these days. Thank goodness there's still folks out there making country music worth listening to such as James McMurtry and Chris Knight (to name just a couple of folks).

[smiller]

I blame Sugar Land for crappy music.

[Nighthawk]

I hate those folks died but Sugarland sucks.

But Jennifer Nettles is UBER HOT

[smiller]

Is "uber" another way to say "NOT"?

[Nighthawk]

How that is not a beautiful girl in anyone else's eyes, I do not know.

[SeattleParrotHead]

She certainly floats my boat!

[RinglingRingling]

She certainly floats my boat!

jerks your bobber? Slathers your sammich? Tows your wagon?

[East Texas Parrothead]

I hate those folks died but Sugarland sucks.

You'll get no argument from me there. They're pretty much indicative of a lot of modern country these days. Thank goodness there's still folks out there making country music worth listening to such as James McMurtry and Chris Knight (to name just a couple of folks).

I'm going to see McMurtry tomorrow night. Hoping he does a cover of COLD DOG SOUP ... along with all his fabulous songs!

[Tiki Torches]

I hate those folks died but Sugarland sucks.

You'll get no argument from me there. They're pretty much indicative of a lot of modern country these days. Thank goodness there's still folks out there making country music worth listening to such as James McMurtry and Chris Knight (to name just a couple of folks).

I'm going to see McMurtry tomorrow night. Hoping he does a cover of COLD DOG SOUP ... along with all his fabulous songs!

I saw him a few months ago in Raleigh with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit but he didn't cover Guy, maybe because the album wasn't out yet.

[TropicalTroubador]

The band should be last on the list of people being sued.

The logical order would seem to me (as one who both plays music onstage and works as an event coordinator) to be:

venue
stage and lighting company
the agency responsible for inspection of the stage (if there is is one)
promoter
band's management company
band

More or less, depending on the show and venue.

I'd guess they've been named because the lawyers will sue *anyone* connected with something like that, on the principle that out of everyone they sue, they can find someone with deep enough pockets to pay their desired legal fees. And the game's been rigged so that sometimes it's cheaper to settle than to defend yourself, even when you *know* you're totally in the right.

[SeattleParrotHead]

It was a terrible accident and I'm sorry for anyone who was hurt or lost a loved one. They're suing the promoter (Live Nation), the State of Indiana, the sound company, the lighting company, Sugarland, and anyone else with a dollar in the bank.

The suit seeks “such damages as provided by the Indiana Wrongful Death statute, including but not limited to, medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, lost of future earnings and support, loss of love and companionship, loss of services, attorney fees for the costs associated with administration of the Decedents’ estates, and attorney fees for maintaining this action.”

Sugarland's response to the suit is addressed to 75 attorneys at 34 law firms.....